On the Move

Kelly Vierling, Administrative Support Assistant II for the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program with Edmond Bonjour, retired on September 1.  Kelly began working with the OALP on November 13, 2006, during Class XIII, when Edmond was a participant in the program.

New Graduate Students

Charlie Konemann is beginning his Ph.D. candidacy with Dr. Justin Talley. His research will focus on leveraging the K.C. Emerson Museum collection of lice to update it for next-generation sequencing and make it available publicly. Charlie received his B.S. degree in Entomology from OSU in 2008 and his M.S. degree in Entomology and Plant Pathology from OSU in 2016 under the direction of Dr. Brad Kard.

Ivin Lam is beginning his Ph.D. candidacy with Dr. Ashleigh Faris. His research will focus on the invasive corn leafhopper, the vector of corn stunt disease pathogens. He will utilize national, regional, and local monitoring data to develop risk models that assess the impacts environmental, biological, and landscape factors can have on corn leafhopper outbreaks and to inform on integrated pest management for the vector. Ivin received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Entomology from Texas A&M University in 2024 and 2026, respectively.

Soleil Rosenblum is beginning her M.S. degree with Dr. Shefali Dobhal and Dr. Mohammad Arif. Her research will focus on bacterial diseases affecting cucurbits, with particular emphasis on the genus Erwinia. Her work will involve the characterization of bacterial pathogens associated with cucurbits, along with phylogenetic analyses to better understand their diversity and evolutionary relationships. Soleil receive her B.S. degree in Biology – Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation from the University of Hawaii at Hilo in 2026.

Makayla Sigmon is beginning her M.S. degree with Dr. Andres Espindola. Her research will focus on developing and validating a Pangenome-Informed, Multi-Locus Diagnostic Framework to reliably detect fungal pathogens in cucurbit crops. Makayla received her B.S. degree in Horticulture from West Virginia University in Morgantown in 2026.

Anthony (Mason) Warnecker is beginning his M.S. degree with Dr. Wyatt Hoback. His research will focus on ecology and conservation of beneficial detritovores. Mason received his B.S. degree in Zoo Science and Conservation Science from Friends University in Wichita, Kansas in 2024.

New Face

Ken Poppe began his position as Senior Accounting Specialist with the NRC Finance Team on July 20, and will work with all grant accounts. He most recently was an Accounting Specialist for the Third Floor Finance Team in Agriculture Hall at OSU for two years. Ken received his B.S. degree in Sociology from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley in 2011.

Congratulations!

Dr. Wyatt Hoback was recently elected President of the Formal and Informal Teaching (FIT) Section of the Entomological Society of America.

Dr. Melissa Reed is the recipient of the Early Career Professional Teaching and Mentoring Award from the Entomological Society of America. She will receive this award during the ESA Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio on November 8-11, 2026.

Dr. Tom Phillips (former OSU Stored Product Research Entomologist from October 1996 – June 2007 and current Professor in Entomology at Kansas State University) has been selected as a Fellow of the Entomological Society of America. He will be recognized during the ESA Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio on November 8-11, 2026.

Departmental Seminars

Seminars will be held at 3:30 p.m. in Room 207 NRC.